The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 718 I Will Not Meet Her

She couldn't wrap her head around it. Why would that even invade her thoughts? Was it because she hadn't been intimate with a man in too long? 'It was just a little slip,' she tried to tell herself. Without even looking at the man's face, she could feel his taunting gaze on her.

"God, you're despicable," she threw the remark at him in exasperation as she got off the car.

His mocking laughter rang in her ears as she hurriedly walked away.

After eating at Hong Fu Restaurant, Anthony led Laura and Junia back to the hotel.

He let Laura's ramblings about Sheryl's condition enter one ear and leave the other. He was sick of it.

Sheryl's face just couldn't escape his mind.

There was no doubt that Anthony had hurt her. He kept silent when he could have pulled her out of that predicament. He knew within himself that it was far too late to do anything more about it.

His mother's voice had almost faded to mere white noise to him, but it was relentless. "I told you, didn't I?" Her resentful words cut through his little trance. "The woman has an affair with some other man and has the nerve to bring him to us. You can't possibly be with such a woman without getting hurt, or you will be caught up in some mess."

Charles' sudden appearance, of course, brought but joy to the Laura. She would be nothing short of cunning when it came to breaking Sheryl and Anthony up.

"It's shameful, Anthony. You can't keep this up. Think about what it would do to your family," she added carefully but eagerly. Her eyebrows were furrowed in deliberate concern as she grabbed at his hands. "You're lucky your father wasn't here today or he would be livid."

He shook her off, the frustration taking over his demeanor. "That's enough," shouted Anthony. His mother could hear the anger in his voice. "What more do you have to say, Mom? You came here to tear us apart. That is clear."

Laura's eyes widened at her son's tone. "How dare you! You'd better listen to your mother, Anthony. Just look at her! How much shameless could she be? How can you expect me to let you marry her?" Anthony slowed in his steps. "I know her." His voice went cold. "I know her but you don't. You even refuse to know her," he said with a sneer. "I've been with her for years and I know what kind of woman she is. You can't just barge into my life like this and tell me to leave her. You only want to humiliate her, Mom. You had the gall to ask her to send her own daughter away. How could you?" He was shaking his head in disbelief, staggering on resentment.

"What..." Laura was so taken aback that her scolding was stuck in her throat. But the piercing look she was giving her son spoke well enough.

"Anthony," Junia's soft voice tried to cut into the tension. With a gentle tone, she tried to calm the boy down. "I cannot truly speak for this woman, because I don't know her. But even I can't deny how overly familiar she looked with the man. You may think Laura has crossed a line there, but she's still your mother. It may be hard to accept, but what she's saying is for your own good. You should try to listen to her."

"God, just stop!" Anthony's voice raised a few decibels. Junia went silent, and her gaze dropped to her feet. Anthony sighed as his hands found their way to his temples. "This is a private affair - it's my life for goodness' sake. Please just stay out of it."

It baffled the two women. Sheryl had left with Charles, but Anthony continued to defend her.

They couldn't understand.

Calming down now, Laura put her hand on her son's. "I know you love her. But you're a smart boy, please don't let your feelings keep you blind. She left with the man, Anthony. Would she do that if she cares for you as much as you care for her?" She put her hand under his chin and made him look at her. "Break up with Sheryl, Anthony."

Laura gestured to the girl then. "Look at Junia. A lovely girl from a good family. You have a good girl right here, Anthony. You're well matched. I can't say the same for you and Sheryl. You're too good for her." A soft smile almost made its way to Laura's face, but Anthony's face twisted with disgust. "Stop daydreaming!

You won't make me marry Junia, mother. That's what you want, just you. Give it up."

It was turmoil inside him. If only he had chosen Sheryl instead of his mother in the restaurant, when it really mattered, she perhaps wouldn't have left with the other man.

If he had even tried to stop her, things might have been different.

He was ready to leave the two alone when his mother fell to the ground.

He was too slow to turn around and too slow to see the wink Laura tipped at Junia before she fell. Junia tried to hide her relief as she rushed to help the woman. Anthony's mother would stop at nothing. "Aunt Laura! What happened? Wake up!" Junia was crying out convincingly. "Anthony, what's wrong with her?"

He stood frozen for a second. 'I shouldn't have shouted at her, ' the thought was ringing in his head. He rushed to them and sent his mother to the hospital.

It was a bit of a blur. Anthony could only feel anxiety.

Once the commotion was over, he sighed in deep relief when the doctor told him there was nothing to worry about.

Meanwhile, Laura was lying in a hospital bed with Junia sitting beside her. "Aunt Laura, you really scared me there. I can't believe you fainted just like that." Anthony heard Junia's worried voice as he entered the room.

"I'm fine, child. Don't worry about me." She smiled faintly as she saw her son walk in. "Thank you, Junia."

"Anthony was so anxious, Aunt Laura," Junia played along. "You musn't get stressed or agitated. The doctor said it's awful for your health."

With a calculated soft smile, Laura put her hand on Junia's. It was quite the scene the two were putting on. "I will try," she said gently.

The guilt was evident on Anthony's face, as the two ladies expected. He stood awkwardly by the entrance for a while before finally asking, "Mom, are you feeling better now?"

Her face went deliberately sour at hearing his voice. "Well unfortunately for you, I'm not dead yet. Are you still going to the cheating bitch?" There was such disdain in her voice. "Mom."

"Well go on then," she didn't let him continue. "Junia is here. She'll take care of me since it seems to be so inconvenient for my own son to consider his mother." Anthony didn't know what to say. Junia, sensing Laura's wishes, decided to stand up then. "Come, Anthony. Talk to your mother. I'll get some water for you."

Junia left the room, and the air went still.